The Birth and Evolution of "Sanatan Dharma": A Cursory Note

[Sukla Sen]

Despite all mumbo jumbo that's being mouthed and a few stray appearances of "Sanatan Dharma" in sacred Indic texts here and there -- with significantly different connotations -- the term entered into the popular vocabulary only with the rise of (revivalist reformist) Arya Samaj movement -- mainly in the Punjab region.

The traditionalists, opposed to "reforms" (of any sort), coined the term to distinguish themselves from the Arya Samajis. They branded themselves as "Sanatani" Hindu.

The earlier (modernist reformist) Brahno Samaj movement initiated by Rammohan Roy, despite being bitterly opposed by the traditionalists in the then Bengal didn't see any rise of the "Sanatanis". There was no organised response. The plausible reason is that while the Brahmo Samaj had/has among its followers, apart from the polyglot Roy himself, Tagore, Jagadish Chandra Bose, C R Das, Bidhan Chandra Roy, P C Mahalanobis, Satyajit Ray, Amartya Sen et al, its social reach -- with its somewhat ethereal ways -- was far more limited. So the threat perception was also accordingly quite limited.

Only recently, the Hindutvavadis have picked up the term giving it a fresh twist.

For them (all) Hindus are Sanatanis. Hinduism -- actually a gradually consolidating and homogenising, rather wide, basket of somewhat loosely connected heterogeneous traditions -- is eternal. It exists from time immemorial and is unassailable. 

It's, however, now almost universally accepted that the tag "Hindu", which appears nowhere in the sacred texts, was coined by aliens -- speakers of a foreign tongue -- coming from across the Sindhu River, maybe (only) some two thousand and six hundred years back. 

So, in one stroke that (perceived) ignominy is just shaken off. It also helps in the drive to impose a "standard" form of Hinduism -- ironically in the image of hated Abrahamic religions -- on all those calling themselves "Hindu".

What an idea Sirji!!!

Some selected readings:

I. <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/sanatan-dharm-meaning-history-8924036/>

Sanatan Dharma, equated by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin to “mosquitoes, dengue, malaria, and corona”, is often seen as being synonymous with Hinduism. As several BJP leaders expressed outrage, party president J P Nadda described Udhayanidhi’s statement as an attack on “our religion”.

Etymology and roots of Sanatan Dharma

Sanatan Dharma is a Sanskrit term that can be translated variously as “eternal religion” or “eternal law”, “unshakeable, venerable order”, or “ancient and continuing guideline”. Mythologist and author Devdutt Pattanaik posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the word “sanatan”, meaning eternal, does not appear in the Vedas.

“The word sanatan started being used in the Bhagavad Gita, and refers to knowledge of the soul, which is eternal,” Pattanaik said in a video he posted. “One can say that Sanatan Dharma refers to eternal religions which believe in soul and rebirth,” he said.

In his book, ‘Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices’ (1994), Julius J Lipner, Emeritus Professor of Hinduism and the Comparative Study of Religion at the University of Cambridge, wrote that the term ‘Sanatan Dharma’ was used in the Gita by Arjuna, when he told Krishna that “when the clan is vitiated, the sanatan-dharmas of the clan are destroyed”.

Lipner noted that a similar term was used by Draupadi when the onlookers did not speak up on her behalf.

Although the term is most commonly associated with Hinduism, it is also used by Jains and Buddhists because these religions also believe in rebirth. “It is not used for religions that believe in one life, that is Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which come from the Middle East,” Pattanaik said.

It is only more recently, particularly since the late 19th century, that Sanatan Dharma has been used to signify Hinduism as a religion, distinct from other religions. It is used to evoke a certain homogeneity in Hinduism, without specifying how exactly that homogeneity is constituted.

Lipner noted: “Many Hindus call themselves Sanatanists, that is, those who follow the eternal dharma. But…it is far from clear what this eternal dharma is.”

He wrote, “I have yet to discover a Hindu sanatana-dharma in the sense of some universally recognised philosophy.” This, Lipner said, was not possible, because it presupposes that Hinduism is a monolithic tradition in which there is agreement about a static or universal doctrine.

Sanatan Dharma in the 19th century

Historian John Zavos in his 2001 article, ‘Defending Hindu Tradition: Sanatana Dharma as a symbol of orthodoxy in colonial India’ noted that the term gained popularity in the late 19th century with the emergence of various sabhas designed the promote Sanatan Dharma.

The Sanatan Dharma at that time came to be understood most popularly as a signifier of Hindu orthodoxy that was a reaction to the reform movements being carried out by missionaries and reformers such as the Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj. This he believed was a political necessity of the period.

In Punjab, for instance, modern Sanatanist movements trace their growth to the career of Pandit Shraddha Ram. It is believed that when Dayanand Saraswati, who founded the Arya Samaj, toured Punjab in his efforts to reform Hinduism, Shraddha Ram followed in his wake to strengthen the forces of orthodoxy.

Similarly, in the Punjab of the 1890s, Pandit Din Dayal Sharma began defending certain religious practices such as murti puja or idol worship against the teachings of the Arya Samaj and established an organisation called ‘Sanatan Dharm Sabha’.

The national organisation, ‘Bharat Dharma Mahamandal’ that also came up during this period stated as its first objective, “to promote Hindu religious education in accordance with the Sanatana Dharma”. The term was also used by the Hindu Mahasabha to refer to the Hindu religion.

The idea that Sanatan Dharma was Hindu orthodoxy, and that it was in opposition to reform was entrenched in the social identities of late 19th century India.

Zavos in his article cited the Punjab Census Report of 1891 in which the Census Superintendent had noted the tendency of orthodox Hindus to record themselves as “sanatan dharmis”.

“A still large number were entered as sanatan-dharmi, but I have not thought it worthwhile to record their numbers: the term merely implies that they belong to the ‘old school’ and it is generally used in contradiction to the followers of Arya Samaj. In Lahore city I found at the commencement of the preliminary enumeration that almost everybody who was not an Arya was being recorded as sanatan-dharmi,” the report said.

Zavos also mentioned that it is not as if each of the sabhas promoting Sanatan Dharma had a common doctrine that distinguished them as orthodox. The only thing common among them was their opposition to the reformist concerns.

“Sanatanis relied on learned individuals like Shraddha Ram to travel from district to district, refuting the arguments of Dayanand and other reformers as they arose,” wrote Zavos.

So, for instance while the Aryas criticised image worship and position of Brahmins in Hindu society, the Sabhas reacted by arguing in defence of the caste system and idol worship as being core features of the Sanatan Dharma tradition.

© The Indian Express (P) Ltd

II. <https://www.deccanherald.com/india/explained-what-is-sanatan-dharma-2674213>

Explained | What is Sanatan Dharma?Let's dive in deep and unravel the mystery behind the term 'Sanatan Dharma' -- often seen as a synonym for Hinduism.

Amit Vasudev

Last Updated 06 September 2023, 23:00 IST

The word 'sanatan' has its roots in Sanskrit which can be translated into "eternal", "ancient", "venerable", or "unshakeable".

Credit: iStock Photo

DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, on September 2, stirred up a hornet's nest when he equated 'Sanatan Dharma' to "dengue, Covid-19, malaria and mosquitoes".

Needless to say, this didn't go down well with the ruling Modi government, neither did it receive a unanimous support from the Opposition bloc. Leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal refrained to side with Udhayanidhi's controversial remark.

Amid the hullaballoo, let's dive in deep and unravel the mystery behind the term 'Sanatan Dharma' -- often seen as a synonym for Hinduism.

Etymology

The word 'sanatan' has its roots in Sanskrit which can be translated into "eternal", "ancient", "venerable", or "unshakeable". Hence, 'Sanatan Dharma', as per popular Hindu beliefs, is a religion which has existed since time immemorial.

Author-cum-mythologist Devdutt Patnaik posted on X that the word 'sanatan' does not feature in the Vedas. “The word 'sanatan' was first used in the Bhagavad Gita, and refers to knowledge of the soul, which is eternal,” Patnaik clarified in a video he posted on X.

“One can say that Sanatan Dharma refers to eternal religions which believe in soul and rebirth,” he said.

As per ISKCON Educational Services, 'sanatan dharma' in Hinduism is used to denote the set of duties and practices incumbent upon all Hindus. Another related meaning is “that which is integral to something". For example, the dharma of sugar is to be sweet and the dharma of fire to be hot.

Also Read:BJP likens Udhayanidhi's remarks on Sanatan Dharma to Hitler's characterisation of Jews

In his book, Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, Julius J Lipner says, "the term ‘Sanatan Dharma’ was used in the Bhagwat Gita by Arjuna, when he told Krishna that 'when the clan is vitiated, the sanatan-dharmas of the clan are destroyed'."

Lipner is Emeritus Professor of Hinduism and the Comparative Study of Religion at the University of Cambridge.

Sanatan or Sanantana?

Some scholars argue that 'sanatan' in Sanskrit was derived from the Pali word 'sanantana', which also means "eternal". Pali is the language of the Tripitaka - sacred book of Thervada Buddhists. It contains much of Buddha's speech and his tales post attaining enlightenment.

Pali is closely related to Sanskrit and some words in both the languages are found interchangeably.

In ancient India, Pali and Prakrits were the most widely spoken languages among commoners, since the usage of Sanskrit was largely restricted to Brahmins as it was codified in a way that only the latter had access to it.

Pali is also said to be the language in which Buddha spoke and gave his sermons in.

Does Sanatan Dharma endorse caste system?

In his book, Revolution and Counter Revolution in Ancient India, Dr BR Ambedkar very unabashedly puts, "The history of India is a history of mortal conflict between Buddhism and Brahmanism".

Modern day Hindutva fans will argue and deny this tooth and nail. However, going back in history shows us that the above statement by Ambedkar does hold water. Skimming through HIndu scriptures like Manusmriti, Gita, Ramayana, etc. produce some heavy-duty incriminating evidence against Brahminism.

Sample this: In the Uttara Kaand of Ramayana (sarga 73-76), the killing of a Shudra named Shambuka by Ram is very explicitly mentioned.

"When Rama is reigning as a virtuous king, a humble aged Brahmin comes to him, weeping, with his dead son in his arms. He says that Rama must have committed some sin, or else his son would not have died."

"The sage Narada explains to Rama that a Shudra is practicing penances, and this is the cause of the child's death. Rama goes on a tour of inspection in his flying chariot, and finds an ascetic doing austerities, and asks who he is."

"Hearing the [inquiring] words of Rama of imperishable exploits, that ascetic, his head still hanging downwards [as part of his austerities] answered:— 'O Rama, I was born of a Shudra alliance and I am performing this rigorous penance in order to acquire the status of a God in this body. I am not telling a lie, O Rama, I wish to attain the Celestial Region. Know that I am a Shudra and my name is Shambuka."

"As he was yet speaking, Raghava [Rama], drawing his brilliant and stainless sword from its scabbard, cut off his head. The Shudra being slain, all the Gods and their leaders with Agni's followers, cried out, 'Well done! Well done!' overwhelming Rama with praise, and a rain of celestial flowers of divine fragrance fell on all sides, scattered by Vayu."

"In their supreme satisfaction, the Gods said to that hero, Rama:— 'Thou hast protected the interests of the Gods, O Highly Intelligent Prince, now ask a boon, O beloved Offspring of Raghu, Destroyer of Thy Foes. By thy grace, this Shudra will not be able to attain heaven!"

Caste system remains a sticky issue in the Hindu religion which is unlikely to die anytime soon.

III. <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/soul-search/sanatan-dharma-its-roots-and-the-historical-context-of-its-use/articleshow/103608346.cms>

IV. <https://www.britannica.com/topic/sanatana-dharma>

V. <https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/sanatan-dharma-sabha-caste-hierarchy-hindu-reform-dalits-purification-8957653/>.

[sukl...@gmail.com]

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